·Ms 20954:
scrapbook which includes 16 allegations, with some related bonds and licences,
1721-93

·Ms 9740: 5
bundles of allegations and bonds, 1755-1802

This index supersedes the index entries for
marriage licence records in Ms 9742 and Ms 9742A.

Unfortunately, we do not have a complete series
of marriage licence records for St Katharine by the Tower. Many of the records
have not survived. There are no licences, allegations or bonds for the years
1690-7, 1705-19 and 1725-6. Although there is a good series of allegations and
bonds for 1720-4 and 1727-44, there are no licences for these periods.

The index is in two parts. The first part is an
alphabetical list of bridegrooms; the second part is alphabetical by the name of
the bride. Each entry gives the names of the parties, the date of the licence,
and abbreviations indicating the type of record(s):

Key to abbreviations:

l – licence

a – allegation

b – bond

lc – licence issued by the Archbishop of
Canterbury

ll – licence issued by the Bishop of London

* – information from a crossed out allegation or
bond (for a marriage which did not take place)

A marriage licence was issued after a written
allegation of intention to marry was made (usually by the prospective
bridegroom), stating that there was no legal impediment to the marriage. The
applicant for a licence also had to sign a bond, by which he would incur a fine
if it was found that there was a legal impediment to the marriage.

The allegations and bonds are more informative
than the licences. The licences give the bride and bridegroom’s names, condition
(bachelor, spinster, widow or widower) and the date of the licence only. The
licence entries in Ms 9741 and the licences issued by the Archbishop of
Canterbury also state which parishes the couple belong to.

The bonds give names, condition, parishes to
which they belonged, occupation of the bridegroom, the amount of the bond, and
the signature or mark of the bridegroom. The allegations give names, condition,
parishes to which they belonged, occupation of the bridegroom, their ages
(although often the ages are simply given as over 21) and the signature or mark
of the bridegroom. If one of the parties was under 21, a signed statement giving
consent to the marriage by a parent or guardian may be found on the allegation.
Very occasionally a statement attesting to the appointment of a guardian for a
minor is included with the allegation.

The signatures of the bridegrooms on the
allegations and bonds can be especially interesting as they sometimes vary
considerably from the name given by the clerk in the records. The name of the
intended bridegroom of Jane Carter in 1721 is given by the clerk as John
Johnson, but he signs as Jan Jansen (Ms 9772/1/49). If the signature is
significantly different from the “official” name, two separate entries for each
form of the name have been given in the index. Where the signature varies only
slightly from the clerk’s record (for example, in Ms 9772/44/193, William
Alderman signed as William Allderman), the “official” form of the name has been
indexed only.

Although access to these indexes is provided free of charge, the information
must not be stored or hosted on other internet sites, reproduced in any form, or
otherwise distributed without the permission of the Keeper of Manuscripts,
Guildhall Library. Copyright City of London Corporation.